Three friends brought closer by near tragedy

CYPRESS, TX (KTRK) -- Just last week, Cy Springs Senior defensive back Lawrence Ghansah signed a letter of intent to play football at Stephen F. Austin State University. That dream almost did not happen because Ghansah lived a nightmare, the kind of nightmare that seemed like a joke.

Ghansah was enjoying a hot summer day with his close friends and teammates, Roshad Dorsey, Brian Harden and Christian Vasquez. The young men decided it was time for a dip in the pool. On the way to the pool, they joked about getting a cramp while in the deep end. Within minutes, that joke became a reality.

Ghansah remembers being in the pool, and trying to jump for safety.

Roshad Dorsey said could not tell if this was a joke or reality.

"He was fighting the water for a while, but we had already talked about it, thought maybe he was just playing," said Dorsey, adding, "after a while, he couldn't fight the water anymore, and his body was lifeless floating."

Brian Harden joined in the water the efforts to help Ghansah to safety, but at times he became too heavy, and the young men started to lose energy. Somehow, they were able to get him over the ledge.

Harden said, "You see it in movies, but to have it happen to your friend, in front of you, and as we were pulling him up, and his body went cold."

Vasquez instantly used the CPR training that was taught to him at CY Springs. At first Vasquez could not tell if it was working.

"Finally after the second one, you could hear him breathing, and then he started coughing up the water," Vasquez remembers. "Foaming from the mouth, that's when I knew ok he is awake."

Ghansah spent the next seven hours at the hospital but he was not completely out of the woods.

"The doctor told me I had cardiac enzymes," Ghansah said. "Which is basically the stoppage of the heart."

Ghansah credits his friends, who he calls family for giving him a new lease on life.

"I feel God gave me another opportunity, and not only that, it made me closer with three of my closest friends."

Cy Springs Head Coach Rick Cobia preaches to never give up, and his players exude that.

"We call ourselves F3. That's our cry, family focus and finish."

These young men, certainly did that.